A refrigerated beverage trailer is disclosed having floor, wall and roof members formed of polyurethane with a covering layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material to form a monolithic enclosure with a closure member. Beverage dispensing spigots are provided on the side of the enclosure and a wheel and hitch assembly is secured to the floor member by the same resinous material.

Patent
   5711073
Priority
May 25 1995
Filed
Sep 11 1996
Issued
Jan 27 1998
Expiry
May 25 2015
Assg.orig
Entity
Small
28
7
all paid
1. The method of constructing an insulated, seamless, monolithic refrigerated beverage trailer enclosure comprising the steps of:
a) providing a horizontally extending floor panel of polyurethane material having a flat upper and lower surface with a peripheral edge to form a floor member for said trailer,
b) providing a frame means and positioning said frame means on said lower surface,
c) applying a layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material to said lower surface and said frame means to secure said frame means to said polyurethane material,
d) providing panels of polyurethane material having an inner and outer surface to form a wall member for said trailer, said wall member having openings therethrough to provide access to said trailer, and positioning said wall panels on said upper surface of said floor panel adjacent said peripheral edge thereof,
e) providing a panel of polyurethane material having an inner and outer surface to form a roof member for said trailer and positioning said roof panel on said wall member, and
f) applying a continuous layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material to said inner and outer surfaces of said wall and roof panels and said upper surface of said floor panel to form said trailer enclosure.
2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a closure means for one of said openings in said wall member, said closure means also having a core of polyurethane covered entirely with a layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material and securing said closure means to said wall member adjacent said one of said openings.
3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein a wheel and hitch assembly means are secured to said frame means by weldments.

This is a divisional application of Ser. No. 08/450,030, filed May 25, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,188.

This invention relates to trailers and more specifically to a monolithic refrigerated trailer enclosure formed of polyurethane covered entirely with a layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material, having means for dispensing beverages on the sides thereof and a wheel and trailer hitch assembly secured thereto by the same resinous material.

Insulated trailers equipped with refrigeration units are well known, an example thereof being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,403. These trailers typically have thermally insulated walls, roof and floor and have an opening in the end thereof for mounting a refrigeration unit. The wheel and hitch assembly is normally secured to a metal frame in the manner shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,810.

Such frames are usually secured to the floor member by a plurality of fasteners which extend through the floor. The wall, roof and floor members can have a core of fiberglass or polyurethane insulation with an outer and inner layer of either sheet metal or hard, impervious, resin material as shown in the aforementioned patents. Such construction of the refrigerated insulated trailers of the prior art had numerous drawbacks which centered primarily around their inability to seal the joints where the outer metal or hard resin material sheets come together which resulted in moisture entering the core material to either cause disintegration or saturation thereof. In addition, the fasteners used to secure the under frame to the floor member often penetrate the sheet metal or hard resin material surface that faces the interior of the trailer. This enables moisture to enter the core of the floor member particularly when the inside of the trailer is being washed. These and other disadvantages of insulated, refrigerated trailers of the prior art are overcome by the unique construction techniques of the present invention.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a superior insulated, refrigerated trailer and method of making same suitable for storing and dispensing cold beverages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an insulated beverage trailer and method of making same that is constructed entirely of polyurethane and fiberglass reinforced resinous material.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a monolithic structure in the form of a trailer without seams or joints that can leak.

It is a further object to provide an insulated, self-contained refrigerated trailer and method of making same having beverage dispensing means on the sides thereof and a wheel and trailer hitch assembly secured thereto by the same resinous material forming the trailer inner and outer surfaces.

It is a still further object to provide an insulated beverage trailer which is relatively inexpensive to construct and which is extremely rigid due to its monolithic construction.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more fully set forth in the detailed description which follows.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the refrigerated and insulated beverage trailer of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of the trailer encircled in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the bottom of the trailer looking along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the trailer taken along the lines 6--6 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings where like characters of reference indicate like elements in each of the several views, 10 is the insulated, refrigerated, monolithic beverage trailer of the subject invention. The trailer 10 comprises a housing 12 having a door 14, a wheel set 16, a trailer hitch 18 and a refrigeration unit 20. The housing 12 has a plurality of spigots 22 for dispensing beverages stored within the trailer, as will be more fully explained later.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the housing 12 comprising a floor member 24, a wall member 26 and a ceiling member 28, all of which are formed of a polyurethane foam core material 30. The core 30 of polyurethane has a continuous, seamless outside layer 32 of fiberglass reinforced resinous material and a similar continuous, seamless inside layer 34 on the core 30 of the same resinous material to form the floor, wall and ceiling members 24, 26 and 28, respectively. The closure member or door 14 is swingably mounted and is similar in construction to wall member 26 with a core 30 of polyurethane and an encasing layer 32, 34 of fiberglass reinforced resinous material. An aperture 36 is provided through one wall for receiving the evaporator 38 of a refrigeration system 40 mounted on the outside wall of the trailer for cooling the interior of the trailer and its contents. A removable cover 42 is provided to enclose the refrigeration system 40 and provide an aerodynamic shape to reduce air resistance when the trailer is moving.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the floor member 24 is secured to a rectangular-shaped frame member 44 extending substantially adjacent the peripheral edge of the floor member. A plurality of ribs 46 are located between the longitudinally extending elements of the frame 44 and are secured thereto by welding or the like. As can best be seen in FIG. 4, the frame member 44 and ribs 46 are secured to the floor member 24 by means of the same fiberglass reinforced resinous material comprising the outside layer 32 of the floor member as will be more fully described later. By so securing the frame member 44 and ribs 46 by means of the resinous material, no fasteners in the form of bolts and the like are used which would penetrate the floor member 24 that, in turn, could lead to fluid leakage into the core material 30 should there be spillage inside the trailer. Tires 48 are mounted on a wheel set 50 which in turn is secured to a torsion-bar spring assembly 52. The spring assembly 52 is attached to the frame member 44. A conventional hitch assembly 54 is also secured to the frame member 44 by weldments 56. A gasoline powered electric generator 57 is also provided mounted on the hitch assembly 54 which can supply electricity to the refrigeration system 40 in the absence of an outside source.

The spigots 22 are secured to a wall member 26 in spaced-apart relationship and are typically connected by piping 58 to a beverage source 60 such as a keg of beer. The keg 60 is pressurized from a source (not shown) via a regulator 62.

Applicants have thus described the construction of their unique monolithic, insulated beverage trailer, the method of such construction will now be described.

The method of constructing the trailer 10 comprises the provision of a rectangular-shaped, horizontally extending panel(s) of polyurethane foam material approximately 4 to 6 inches in thickness and having a flat upper and lower surface to form the floor member 24.

A frame member 44, also rectangular in shape, is then positioned on the upper surface and a layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material 30 is applied to the lower surface of the panel and over the frame member 44 to secure the frame to the material 30. The wheel set 50, spring assembly 52 and hitch assembly 54 are then secured to the frame member 44. The floor member 24 is then inverted onto the frame member 44 and panels of polyurethane material are erected vertically adjacent the peripheral edge of the floor panel to form the wall member 26.

A panel(s) of polyurethane foam material is then positioned on the wall member 26 to form the ceiling member 28. A continuous layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material is then applied to the entire inner and outer surfaces of the wall and roof panels and the upper surface of the floor panel to form the monolithic, insulated enclosure forming the trailer of the present invention. The side walls of the aperture 36 and door jamb 64 are also covered with the same layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material.

The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Further, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, in the skill or knowledge of the art, are within the scope of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.

Tippmann, Joseph R., Tippmann, Vincent P.

Patent Priority Assignee Title
10112522, Jul 27 2012 TIKIZ FRANCHISING, LLC Frozen confection kiosk and liquid-dispensing assembly for use therewith
10130220, Apr 12 2013 Bathtub/shower tray support
10207606, Mar 28 2012 Recyclable plastic structural articles and method of manufacture
10231471, Jul 27 2012 TIKIZ FRANCHISING, LLC Frozen confection kiosk and liquid-dispensing assembly for use therewith
10328662, Nov 01 2012 In-situ foam core stress mitigation component and method of manufacture
10391699, Mar 29 2012 Recyclable Plastic structural articles and method of manufacture
10391700, Oct 27 2010 Recyclable plastic structural articles and method of manufacture
10617132, Jul 27 2012 TIKIZ FRANCHISING, LLC Frozen confection kiosk and liquid-dispensing assembly for use therewith
10682942, Jul 27 2012 TIKIZ FRANCHISING, LLC Frozen confection kiosk and liquid-dispensing assembly for use therewith
10786971, Oct 27 2010 Method for making a running board having an in-situ foam core
10980247, Jul 27 2012 TIKIZ FRANCHISING, LLC Frozen confection kiosk and liquid-dispensing assembly for use therewith
5901884, Dec 08 1995 IMI Cornelius Inc Beverage dispenser
6042162, Feb 20 1998 Carrier Corporation Protective bumper for a transport refrigeration unit
6190490, Dec 16 1998 POLAR KING INTERNATIONAL, INC Method of making a closure member for a refrigerated storage enclosure
6206439, Mar 31 1999 Carrier Corporation Protective bumper for a transport refrigeration unit
7353960, Oct 05 2004 MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS, INC Cargo container with insulated floor
7434520, Apr 12 2004 MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS, INC Insulated cargo container doors
7587984, Mar 05 2004 MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS, INC Insulated cargo containers
7748172, Feb 13 2003 MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS, INC Insulated cargo containers
7814638, Sep 16 2004 The Boeing Company Method of manufacture for reaction-injection-molded cart
8840819, Mar 28 2012 In-situ foam core structural energy management system and method of manufacture
9073462, Mar 28 2012 In-situ foam core vehicle seating system and method of manufacture
9102086, Mar 28 2012 In-situ foam core structural articles and methods of manufacture of profiles
9271610, Apr 12 2013 Bathtub/shower tray support
9272484, Jan 25 2012 Structural plastic articles, method of use, and methods of manufacture
9346237, Oct 27 2010 Richard W., Roberts Recyclable plastic structural articles and method of manufacture
9352679, Jul 27 2012 TIKIZ FRANCHISING, LLC Frozen confection kiosk and liquid-dispensing assembly for use therewith
9688046, Mar 28 2012 In-situ foam core structural articles and system for forming
Patent Priority Assignee Title
3089313,
3232489,
3237810,
4225059, Dec 14 1978 Portable beverage cooler and dispenser
4873841, Apr 03 1989 Portable cooler
4976448, Jun 13 1988 Right Products, Inc. Mobile cooler chest and cooler chest support
5175970, Jun 22 1990 PEASE INDUSTRIES, INC Molded panel door with integral raised trim
/////
Executed onAssignorAssigneeConveyanceFrameReelDoc
Sep 06 1996KAMEI, KYOJIFUJI XEROX CO , LTD ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS 0082250326 pdf
Sep 06 1996MATSUMURA, TAKUOFUJI XEROX CO , LTD ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS 0082250326 pdf
Sep 06 1996YOSHIDA, ATSUSHIFUJI XEROX CO , LTD ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS 0082250326 pdf
Aug 17 2004TIPPMANN, JOSEPH R POLAR KING INTERNATIONAL, INC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS 0158610501 pdf
Aug 17 2004TIPPMANN, VINCENT P POLAR KING INTERNATIONAL, INC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS 0158610501 pdf
Date Maintenance Fee Events
Jan 20 1998ASPN: Payor Number Assigned.
Jul 23 2001M283: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 4th Yr, Small Entity.
Mar 25 2005M2552: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 8th Yr, Small Entity.
Jun 24 2009M2553: Payment of Maintenance Fee, 12th Yr, Small Entity.


Date Maintenance Schedule
Jan 27 20014 years fee payment window open
Jul 27 20016 months grace period start (w surcharge)
Jan 27 2002patent expiry (for year 4)
Jan 27 20042 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4)
Jan 27 20058 years fee payment window open
Jul 27 20056 months grace period start (w surcharge)
Jan 27 2006patent expiry (for year 8)
Jan 27 20082 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8)
Jan 27 200912 years fee payment window open
Jul 27 20096 months grace period start (w surcharge)
Jan 27 2010patent expiry (for year 12)
Jan 27 20122 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12)